Sol Plaatje mayor resigns in ‘best interest of community’

Former Sol Plaatje municipality mayor Mangaliso Matika says his decision to step down was in the best interest of the community.

The embattled mayor resigned amid violent protest action in the Northern Cape capital, Kimberley with members of the public demanding that he, along with other members in the municipality’s executive be removed.

A team of people, including African National Congress convenor for the Northern Cape Collen Maine and provincial secretary Deshi Ngxanga, were locked in a lenghthy meeting to discuss the matter on Sunday.

Addressing the media on Monday, Matika says it’s time to bring calm and ensure that the ANC and the community find each other again. He says he had to resign in the best interest of the city of Kimberley and to ensure that the ANC does not lose the city because of him.

“The conflict that exists between the ANC and the community needs to be corrected. Many things have been distorted. It is important not to appear arrogant in ensuring that we correct any misunderstanding between ourselves and the community [of Kimberley].

“Because of the unrest that took place, we were unable to implement the recovery plan, as a result, the coffers of the municipality are running dry. So, one had to make that decision, because services don’t come cheap. That is one of the reasons [why I resigned]. We can’t lose the city because of Matika,” he says.

Matika was unseated by a motion of no confidence in August, but the courts nullified the motion, and he was reinstated last week.

The opposition in Northern Cape has welcomed the resignation of Matika as a victory for the people of Kimberley.